The present invention relates to a memory device including a memory for storing information in a case and connection terminals for inputting and outputting the information provided on one end of the case, a controller, and an electronic device.
Domestic game apparatuses are very popular as an amusement as various interesting games have been recently developed. As the contents of the games become sophisticated, memory cards for temporarily storing game progress information of respective game players, game setting information, etc. are increasingly demanded. Some game apparatuses have backup memories built in. However, the backup memories usually have small capacities, and separate memory cards are required for sophisticated games. The memory cards are used inserted in connectors for memories of the game apparatus bodies.
The conventional memory cards are mounted on the game apparatus bodies as described above to back up game data. To back up game data is only one function the conventional memory cards have.
Some players own a plurality of memory cards to back up game data of a plurality of games. However, when they own a plurality of memory cards, they are often at a loss to locate the memory cards storing game data they require. All that they can do is confirm stored contents is to load the memory cards in game apparatuses for the confirmation.
On the other hand, as storage mediums storing game programs having larger capacities, the games themselves have larger scales and take too a long time to be completed, which results in a disadvantage that the game players are contrarily bored. As a countermeasure to this disadvantage, storage mediums of large capacities are used so that one game contains various games which can be played for relatively short periods of time. For example, a game which is a main game contains smaller sub-games, or a plurality of games make up a main game.
The inventors of the present application halve obtained an idea that functions of a conventional memory card are expanded to enable execution of smaller games, and various sub-games are played by using the memory card, whereby an innovational interesting game system which has not been available can be realized.
An object of the present invention is to provide a memory device having functions of a conventional memory device expanded.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a memory device which allows the stored information to be confirmed.
A further another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device using the memory device having the functions expanded.
A further another object of the present invention is to provide an innovational game system using the memory device having the functions expanded.
The above-described object is achieved by a memory device including a case, a memory disposed in the case and storing information, and a connection terminal disposed on one end of the case and inputting/outputting information, comprising: a display disposed on one side of the case and displaying information; and a memory device disposed on one side of the case and including operation buttons to be operated by an operator.
In the above-described memory device it is possible that the memory stores backup data and/or a program.
In the above-described memory device it is possible that one of the backup data and the program is stored first in an upper address of the memory toward an lower address, and the other of the backup data and the program is stored first in lower address of the memory toward an upper address.
In the above-described memory device it is possible that contents stored in the memory are displayed on the display unit.
In the above-described memory device it is possible that the operation buttons are operated to designate a contents stored in the memory to erase the content or to protect the content from writing.
In the above-described memory device it is possible that the memory stores a first program to be executed when the memory device is singly operated, and a second program to be executed when the memory device is connected, the first program is executed when the connection terminal is not connected to an outside apparatus, and the second program is executed when the connection terminal is connected to an outside apparatus.
The above-described object is achieved by a game system including a game apparatus body, display device connected to the game apparatus body, and a controller connected to the game apparatus body, the game system comprising the above-described memory device being loaded in the loading portion of the controller, and a game display which is different from that displayed on the display means being displayed on the display of the memory device.
In the above-described game system it is possible that a plurality of the controllers are connected to the game apparatus body, the memory device is connected to the respective controllers, and game displays which are different from each other between the displays of the memory devices are displayed on the displays.
The above-described object is achieved by a game system including a game apparatus body, display means connected to the game apparatus body, and a controller connected to the game apparatus body, the above-described memory device being loaded in a loading portion of the controller, data or a program being transferred from the game apparatus body to the memory device.
The above-described object is achieved by a game system including a game apparatus body, display means connected to the game apparatus body, and a controller connected to the game apparatus body, the above-described memory device being loaded in a loading portion of the controller, and data or a program being transferred from the memory device to the game apparatus body.
In the above-described memory device it is possible that the connection terminal has a first male connection terminal and a second female connection terminal.
The above-described object is achieved by a game system including the above-described two memory devices, wherein the first connection terminal of one of the two memory devices being connected to the second connection terminal of the other of the two memory devices, and the second connection terminal of the one of the two memory devices being connected to the first connection terminal of the other of the two memory devices, whereby the one of the two memory devices is connected directly to the other of the two memory devices.
The above-described object is achieved by a memory device comprising: a case; a memory disposed in the case and storing information; a connection terminal disposed on one end of the case, and inputting/outputting the information; a display disposed on one side of the case, and displaying the information; and a save key inputting information through the connection terminal to save the information in the memory.
The above-described object is achieved by a memory device comprising: a case; a memory disposed on one end of the case and inputting/outputting through a connection terminal; a display disposed on one side of the case and displaying information; and a selection key selecting arbitrary one of a plurality of information.
The above-described object is achieved by a memory device comprising: a case; a memory disposed in the case, and storing information; a connection terminal disposed on one side of the case, and inputting/outputting information; a display unit disposed on one side of the case, and displaying information; a selection key selecting arbitrary information out of a plurality of information; and a save key inputting information through the connection terminal, and saving the information in the memory.
The above-described object is achieved by a controller including a prescribed operation key, and outputting a prescribed command signal to an electronic device, comprising: a loading portion for the above-described memory device to be loaded in.
The above-described object is achieved by a controller comprising: a loading portion for the above-described memory device to be loaded in; and a selection key selecting arbitrary one of a plurality of information, a required command signal being outputted to an electronic device.
The above-described object is achieved by a controller comprising: a loading portion for the above-described memory device to be loaded in; and a save key inputting information through the connection terminal and saving the information in the memory, a required command signal being outputted to an electronic device.
The above-described object is achieved by a controller comprising: a loading portion for the above-described memory device to be loaded in; and a selection key selecting arbitrary one of a plurality of information; and a save key inputting information through the connection terminal and saving the information in the memory, a required command signal being outputted to an electronic device.
The above-described object is achieved by a controller comprising: a loading portion for a memory device including a case, a memory disposed in the case and storing information, a connection terminal disposed on one end of the case and inputting/outputting information, and a display disposed on one side of the case and displaying information; a selection key selecting arbitrary one of a plurality of information; and a save key inputting information through the connection terminal and saving the information in the memory, a required command signal being outputted to an electronic device.
The above-described object is achieved by an electronic device connected to a controller outputting a required command signal, comprising: a loading portion for the above-described memory device to be loaded in.
The above-described object is achieved by an electronic device connected to a controller outputting a required command signal, comprising: a loading portion for the above-described memory device to be loaded in; and the controller including a selection key selecting arbitrary one of a plurality of information.
The above-described object is achieved by an electronic device connected to a controller outputting a required command signal, comprising: a loading portion for the above-described memory device to be loaded in; and the controller including a save key inputting information through the connection terminal and saving the information in the memory.
The above-described object is achieved by an electronic device connected to a controller outputting a required command signal, comprising: a loading portion for the above-described memory device, and selection means selecting arbitrary one of a plurality of information.
The above-described object is achieved by an electronic device connected to a controller outputting a required command signal, comprising: a loading portion for the above-described memory device to be loaded in; and save means inputting information through the connection terminal and saving the information.
The above-described object is achieved by an electronic device connected to a controller outputting a required command signal, comprising: selecting means selecting arbitrary one of a plurality of information; and saving means inputting information through the connection terminal and saving the information in the memory.
The above-described object is achieved by an electronic device connected to a controller outputting a required command signal, comprising: a loading portion for a memory device to be loaded in, the memory device including a case, a memory disposed in the case and storing information, a connection terminal disposed on one end of the case and inputting/outputting information, and a display disposed on one side of the case and displaying information; selecting means selecting arbitrary one of a plurality of information; and saving means inputting information through the connection terminal and saving the information in the memory.
The above-described object is achieved by an electronic device connected to a controller outputting a required command signal, the controller including: a loading portion for the above-described memory device, the electronic device including: selecting means selecting arbitrary one of a plurality of information.
The above-described object is achieved by an electronic device connected to a controller outputting a required command signal, the controller including: a loading portion for the above-described memory device, the electronic device including: saving means inputting information through the connection terminal and saving the information in the memory.
The above-described object is achieved by an electronic device connected to a controller outputting a required command signal, the controller including: a loading portion for the above-described memory device, the electronic device including: selecting means selecting arbitrary one of a plurality of information; and saving means inputting information through the connection terminal and saving the information in the memory.
The above-described object is achieved by an electronic device connected to a controller outputting a required command signal, the controller including: a loading portion for a memory device to be loaded in, the memory device including a case, a memory disposed in the case and storing information, a connection terminal disposed on one end of the case and inputting/outputting information, and a display disposed on one side of the case and displaying information, the electronic device including: selecting means selecting arbitrary one of a plurality of information, and saving means inputting information through the connection terminal and saving the information in the memory.
In the above-described electronic device it is possible that the selecting means selecting information, based on a development scene of a program.
In the above-described electronic device it is possible that the information selected based on a development scene of the program is a game program.
In the above-described electronic device it is possible that the saving means detects loading of the memory in the loading portion and starts.
In the above-described electronic device it is possible that the saving means detects connection of the memory to the loading portion of the controller and starts.
In the above-described electronic device it is possible that the saving means detects connection of the controller to the electronic device and starts.
The above-described object is achieved by a game playing method for playing a main game which has a plurality of scenes and advances said plurality of scenes in a prescribed sequence, a subgame being selected based on an advanced one of said a plurality of scenes, and being saved in a memory device loaded in a game apparatus body, and the subgame being played on the memory device.
The above-described object is achieved by a memory device comprising: a case; memory disposed in the case and storing information; a display disposed on one side of the case and displaying information; an operation button disposed on one side with respect to the display on said one side of the case and operated by an operator; and a connection terminal disposed on the other side with respect to the display on said one side of the case and inputting/outputting information.
The above-described object is achieved by a controller including a required key and outputting required command signal to an electronic device, comprising: a loading portion for a memory device to be loaded in, and having a window therein; and a required region of the memory device being exposed in the window when the memory device is loaded in the loading portion.
In the above-described object it is possible that the controller further comprises an additional loading portion for the memory device to be loaded in.
In a memory device connected to the above-described controller it is possible that the memory device comprises: a display displaying information, the display being disposed at a position where the display is exposed in the window when the memory device is loaded in the loading portion of the controller.
In a memory device connected to the above-described controller it is possible that the memory device comprises: a memorandum portion on which a memorandum can be written down; the memorandum portion is disposed at a position where the memorandum portion is exposed in the window when the memory device is loaded in the loading portion of the controller.
In a memory device connected to the above-described controller it is possible that the memory device comprises: an operation button operated by an operator, the operation button being disposed at a position where the operation button is exposed in the window when the memory device is loaded in the loading portion of the controller.
In a memory device connected to the above-described controller it is possible that the memory device comprises: a microphone inputting sounds, the microphone being exposed at a position where the microphone is exposed in the window when the memory device is loaded in the loading portion of the controller.
The above-described object is achieved by a game system including the above-described two memory devices, the connection terminal of one of the two memory devices being connected to the connection terminal of the other of the two memory devices, whereby the two memory devices are connected directly to each other with the displays of the two memory devices located near each other, and the operation buttons of the two memory devices being operable on the opposed sides.
The above-described object is achieved by a memory device comprising: a case; a memory disposed in the case and storing information; a display disposed on one side of the case and displaying information; an operation button disposed on one side of the case and displaying information; and a photo-information inputting/outputting unit disposed on one end of the case and inputting/outputting information by the use of light.
In the above-described memory device it is possible that the photo-information inputting/outputting unit includes a light emitting unit emitting light and a light detecting unit detecting light; the light emitting unit is disposed so as to be opposed to the light detecting unit of the photo-information inputting/outputting unit of another memory device, and the light detecting unit is disposed so as to be opposed to the light emitting unit of the photo-information inputting/outputting unit of said another memory device.
In the above-described memory device it is possible that the light detecting unit of the photo-information inputting/outputting unit transforms detected light to electric energy to supply electric power.
The above-described object is achieved by a game system including the above-described two memory devices, wherein the light emitting unit of the photo-information inputting/outputting unit of one of the two memory devices is opposed to the light detecting unit of the photo-information inputting/outputting unit of the other of the two memory device, and the light detecting unit of the photo-information inputting/outputting unit of the one of the two memory devices is opposed to the light emitting unit of the photo-information inputting/outputting unit of the other of the two memory devices, whereby the two memory devices are coupled to each other.